


Idiot Master

by erik_lehnsherr



Series: The Fourteenth's Song [2]
Category: D.Gray-man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2017-04-25
Packaged: 2018-10-24 01:33:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10731405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erik_lehnsherr/pseuds/erik_lehnsherr
Summary: The only time Cross will flush with shame is when his apprentice mentions that week in Britain.





	Idiot Master

“That stupid, idiot master!”

The patrons of the small café cast looks at the young boy who just had the outburst – he looked like a beggar, but obviously wasn’t since he had enough money to get into this fine establishment. The boy had short white hair, was dressed in rags, and had something wrapped in clothe in his hand.

The waitress just gazed upon the boy with pity. She had found him outside, unconscious from hunger, and nursed him back to health over the last few days. When he was restored, he told her his name was Allen Walker, and he was looking for a masked, ginger fellow by the name of Cross Marian. He recounted the dangerous journey he had to partake on over the last week to locate his guardian. This boy couldn’t have been more than eleven, which just made the waitress angry. What kind of sensible adult leaves his child behind to fend for himself?

Allen had a nearly insatiable appetite, and finally he was beginning to slow down, which was great because soon they were going to run out of food. The waitress then asked, “So, what is that you have in your hand?”

He paused, then smiled some, his grip tightening, “My master is a super irresponsible man. This thing is very important, and I reminded him to take it with him if he left, but he didn’t listen to me, as usual, and now I have to find him to give it to him!” Allen paused, then inquired, “What’s your name, Miss? I forgot to ask.”

She giggled some at the personal scolding he gave himself for not remembering his manners, “I’m Unity.”

Unity Miles was a young woman who helps her father run a shop in Britain. She was the youngest of three, her older brothers off being successes. Unity didn’t have as much luck, failing at nearly every job she’s ever attempted. Finally, her father dragged her home to help him run the café, which seemed to be the only thing she could really do. Now, she seemed to excel at this type of business, turning her charm to the max. However, it wasn’t the type of life she wanted.

“Unity? That’s unique.”

“Yea,” Unity replied, her brunette hair falling over her shoulder, “it was the name of one of my ancestors, I think. Anyway, do you have a place to stay Allen?”

It was like a rock settled on Allen’s shoulders, judging by the downcast look his face adopted, “Well… I spent what I had left last night.” Noticing her worried stare, he quickly added, “But I can earn more. It’s no issue, really.” His quick words wouldn’t save him from the maternal instincts Unity was feeling. She told him, “You’ll stay here tonight. My father owns this place, and he wouldn’t have an issue with it.” With his fate sealed, Allen hesitantly agreed, seeming to still not trust her.

Over the next few hours, Allen worked diligently alongside Unity, and earned the pay Unity’s father decided to give him. When night fell, Unity and Allen were closing up shop. Allen kept asking questions about the store when suddenly, he stopped completely.

“Allen?” Unity questioned, walking over to the boy. She touched his shoulder, and he jumped, whipping his head around to reveal his left eye, once gray, was now blood red with rings of black spotting it. Unity gasped, stepping back some, and Allen smiled sadly, “Sorry, I have to go.” He then dropped the broom he was holding and ran out the door. It took a moment for Unity to process what she just saw, but she snapped out of it with the thing of the bell, and she yelled, “Allen!” Dropping her mop, she dashed after the youngster.

Allen was a fast boy, outrunning Unity by leagues, but eventually she caught up to him, gasping in gulps of air to her aching lungs. Chasing the white haired boy had led Unity to the local cemetery, and when she stepped through the gates, fear pierced through her. The small boy she had cared for as standing defiantly in front of a monster that looked like a horrifying balloon, his deformed arm that Unity had noticed before now a hideous, massive beast arm. Unity’s heart pounded as she watched the silent match between monsters, until suddenly, Allen shot forward.

The youngster slashed at the monster, cutting it in half. The severed pieces dissolved afterward, and Allen landed on the ground, flicking the black blood off his beast hand. A proud look crossed his faced until there was a boom, and something slammed into Allen, knocking him across the graveyard like a doll. Unity let loose a scream as another monster blasted out of the shadows and turned towards her. She stepped back too quickly, tripping on the ground, and she fell with a huff. She then turned around, trying to inch back as fast as possible as the monster approached.

This was where she died. Unity never pictured such a death, thinking she’d last longer than her meager twenty-two years, and her eyes slammed shut, waiting for the pain, then everlasting darkness. However, neither came. Unity cautiously opened her eyes again to see the monster gone, a panting Allen standing behind where it was before. His human arm hung limply, probably either dislocated or broken, and blood trailed from above his eye, covering the strange scar that was once there. It dripped into his eye, but he didn’t seem to notice. He trailed over, limping some, and asked, “Are you ok?”

It took a moment for panic to clear enough for Unity to speak, and then she breathed out, “You’re asking me?! What the hell are you?!” She scooted away more from his outstretched hand that was back to looking as normal as it did before, the malformed red skin standing out in the night. Allen’s smile fell, then returned sadder as he said softly, “I’m an exorcist. That thing you just saw is called an Akuma, and it’s very dangerous. There’s still more around, so I’m going to need you to run, please. Don’t get anyone, I can handle this.”

A mass of shadow drew closer, causing Allen to whip around and his arm to transform again. His breathing was labored from the hit he took before, and even if Unity wasn’t a soldier, she could tell the small boy wouldn’t survive too many more hits. As the Akuma fired again, Allen deflected the shots, getting pushed back further. Another Akuma joined the fray, causing Allen to growl out, “Why are there so many?!”

One of the Akuma’s deadly bullets hit Allen from the side, causing him to skid into a gravestone. Unity scrambled over to him, “Allen!” Holding him in her arms and trying to shield him with her body, Unity recognized the dilemma. Allen was unconscious, and the Akuma drew closer. Unity felt herself shaking with fear, but maybe this was where her destiny culminated. Unity was done being scared of living, letting everything bring her down. Grabbing the thing Allen had been carrying this entire time, and ripping off the clothe, Unity pointed a rather hefty knife at the Akuma. She then yelled, “I’m not afraid! I’m not!”

Unity scrunched her eyes shut, expecting the worst, but it didn’t come. Opening one eye slowly, Unity yelped when she saw the Akuma got very close to her, but was stopped by something. The weight that had been in her hand wasn’t there anymore, and when she opened both eyes and gazed at her hands, she saw that the knife was gone, and a suspicious hole in both the Akuma. They dissolved, and Unity sighted the knife a few feet away.

She sat there for a moment in shock, unsure of what just happened. Allen groaned in pain, snapping Unity out of her internal terror. She laid him on the ground carefully, trying, “Allen? Allen, are you awake? Please answer me!”

The boy didn’t answer at first, but finally, he mumbled, “Please keep the volume down.”

Unity let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding, tears starting to run down her face as she stuttered out, “Thank god…”

A few moments later, Allen was leaned against a stone while Unity retrieved the knife. She ran her fingers across the blade, the surface shining her reflection. Allen said to her, his voice weak, “That’s an anti-Akuma weapon, you know. My master got it from some church in Europe. Guess it chose you, Unity.”

Unity looked down at the weapon, and for a moment, it felt like an extension of herself. She then asked, “So it’s like your arm?” Unity connected the dots soon after the battle, and judging by the look of surprise on Allen’s face, he wasn’t expecting her to understand so quickly. But, then again, being attacked by the harbingers of hell made someone think fast.

Allen replied, “You catch on fast. The Akuma are weapons created by the Millennium Earl from the souls of people’s loved ones. I had no idea there were so many in this town – maybe that’s why my master stopped by here.” He glanced at her, managing to push himself up some with his still functioning arm, “You know what this means, right?”

She was silent, staring at the knife, and then she responded, “I think I do.”

A day later, a ginger man in a mask walked into the café. Allen was at the bar, chatting with Unity, when the older man grabbed his shoulder and yanked the boy around. Allen yelped, and stared right into the singular eye the man sported, “M-Master!”

After last night, Unity was jumpy, so her hand instantly went to the knife she had stored underneath the counter. Now she had a face to place on the one who left Allen alone.

Allen’s master didn’t seem to notice or care about Unity, his sights trained on Allen, “Kid, what did I say about making sure you were up? I accidentally left your dumb ass!” He cursed under his breath, then hesitantly admitted, “I was fucking worried, you brat. You weren’t where I left you, and I had to retrace my damn steps to find you. And what’s with all these wounds?”

The exchange between master and student was tense, but the friction broke when Allen’s master carefully pulled him into a hug. He muttered, “I was so damn worried, Allen.”

Allen was shocked for a moment before he wrapped his functioning arm around his master, burying his face in the older man’s coat, “I’m sorry.”

Afterward, Unity saw Allen and his master to the train station. Cross Marian insisted on keeping Allen as close as possible and told Unity, “Go to the Black Order, kid. Oh, and keep the knife. I wasn’t gonna use it anyway.” He then dragged Allen onto the train, and the strange pair left the small town.


End file.
